Coming from a long-time nurse, I can confidently say that being a travel nurse is another kind of experience with it’s own pros and cons. However, I’ve worked with many travel nurses and am well acquainted with the career.If you’re contemplating diving into the career of a travel nurse, here is what you need to know.
Who is a Travel Nurse?
A travel nurse provides services in the medical field, alongside physicians, doctors, surgeons, and other healthcare workers to treat patients who are sick or injured. They can work in hospitals, medical offices, nursing facilities, clinics, and more across the world. The unique, and often appealing, part of working as a traveling nurse is traveling to a new job every 1-3 months. This provides the opportunity to see new places, meet new people, and grow your experience in the nursing field. No matter where in the world, a nurse serves as an integral part of any medical staff.
Who Can Be a Travel Nurse?
While working as a travel nurse might sound enticing, it’s not for the faint of heart. In general, nurses endure a minimum of 4 years of rigorous education and training. And, that’s just the beginning. Working as a travel nurse often requires frequent traveling, night shifts, and extended work hours, most of which are spent on your feet. However, that said, being a travel nurse is one of the most rewarding jobs possible. You have the opportunity to help people all over the world. And, frankly, there’s nothing better.
Most importantly, before committing to the education and career as a travel nurse, I encourage you to speak with those who have been in the role for many years. Take their experienced opinion to heart.
6 Reasons to Work as a Travel Nurse
As a seasoned nurse, I’ve experienced my fair share in the nursing world. Clearly, I love it. While travel nursing is slightly different than nursing in general, one thing will always be the same: unavoidable ups and downs. That said, here are just a few benefits of a travel nurse career to start you off:
- Good Compensation– It’s not a secret that nurses get paid very well. Yet, travel nurses are often paid the highest. After all, they often sacrifice sleep, personal relationships, health, and more to do their jobs well, as does every nurse.
- New Places– Travel nurses are needed all over the world. If you enjoy traveling on a regular basis, working as a travel nurse opens the door to see many new places, worldwide. Travel nursing is how I made my move to California!
- Professional Development and Experience- You have the opportunity to showcase your adaptability and prove you’re always up for the challenge and ready to learn from each new facility you visit.
- New Friends- As with most careers, you’ll spend the majority of your days with those you work with. As a travel nurse, I believe the bond with your peers is a strong and unparalleled one. You’ll meet and develop your most cherished friendships at your workplace.
- Personal Growth- Travel nursing doesn’t only challenge you professionally. You can count on it to push you out of your comfort zone and grow you personally, too. You become stronger and more resilient, as a travel nurse.
- Temporary Opportunities– Working as a travel nurse provides plenty of temporary gigs. This can help you discover the niche or a new hospital you really love. Maybe you’ll discover a new speciality ICU you enjoy working in or fall in love with working in a new hospital. It also means you don’t have to stay in a work environment you don’t enjoy. After several weeks, you can move on to another opportunity if you decide it’s not for you!
Working as a travel nurse comes with it’s benefits and challenges. While it is certainly hard, challenging work, it also can be the most rewarding career for you. I hope you have a clearer understanding if nursing is the right path for you!
